Feature Articles

The Amati Magazine: Apollo’s Fire to light up the Proms

“Conductor Jeannette Sorrell was once denied an audition because, she claims, a famous maestro told her the audience would never accept a woman as conductor. Her answer? ‘That’s OK – I want to work with …”
[button link=”http://magazine.amati.com/153-interviews/qa-apollos-fire-light-proms.html” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

Plain Dealer: Apollo’s Fire prepares for high-profile festival appearances in U.K., Italy

“Sure, the group is called The Cleveland Baroque Orchestra, and yes, Northeast Ohio is its home. Today, though, on the eve of its most important international engagements yet and two local concerts marking the occasions, …”
[button link=”http://www.cleveland.com/musicdance/index.ssf/2015/08/apollos_fire_prepares_for_high.html” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

Plain Dealer: Apollo’s Fire enjoys hot streak with Billboard and Tanglewood triumphs

“Apollo’s Fire is burning hot. While most idle on vacation, Cleveland’s Baroque orchestra is setting the classical world aflame.”
[button link=”http://www.cleveland.com/musicdance/index.ssf/2015/07/apollos_fire_on_hot_streak_wit.html” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

The London Telegraph Picks AF’s Vivaldi/Handel Concert for the “Best 5 Musical Moments of 2014”

AF’s trip to the UK in May 2014 resulted in being chosen by critic Ivan Hewett for his “best concerts of 2014” feature!
[button link=”http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culture-review-of-the-year/11285875/5-best-classical-music-moments-of-2014.html” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

BBC Music Magazine picks AF’s Sacrum Mysterium as the Top 20 Live Event for Christmas in North America

“Cleveland Baroque orchestra Apollo’s Fire weaves elements of a Scottish medieval Vespers service with Celtic folk tunes and carols. The pan-Celtic party also features Ensemble La Nef and the Apollo’s Singers, all brought together by …”
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/bbcMag_dec2014_top20.pdf” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

BBC Magazine talks with Jeannette

BBC Magazine talks to Jeannette Sorrell, artistic director of Cleveland Baroque ensemble Apollo’s Fire, about the orchestra’s yuletide programme of Celtic carols.
[button link=”http://www.classical-music.com/article/jeannette-sorrell” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

Plain Dealer: Apollo’s Fire does its hometown proud

“The Cleveland Orchestra isn’t the only musical missionary in Northeast Ohio. No, Apollo’s Fire also does its hometown proud, spreading the good sounds of Cleveland far and wide. Make that very good sounds. Its performance …”
[button link=”http://www.cleveland.com/musicdance/index.ssf/2014/11/apollos_fire_on_tour_gives_ann.html” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

BBC Music Magazine picks AF’s Monteverdi Vespers as a Top 20 Live Event in North America

“Apollo’s Fire, the Cleveland period-instrument group, is taking Monteverdi on the road this month, with a seven-city tour of the Vespers of 1610. Considered this ensemble’s signature work, it is filled with soaring arias, duets …”
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/bbcMag_nov2014_top20.pdf” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

Plain Dealer feature: Apollo’s Fire embarking on a new season with growing audience, fresh ideas in tow

“On the eve of its 23rd season, Cleveland’s Baroque orchestra is sitting pretty, not only on seven attractive programs but also on some of the rosiest audience data around… Sales of its first program next …”
[button link=”http://www.cleveland.com/musicdance/index.ssf/2014/10/apollos_fire_embarking_on_new.html&ct=ga&cd=CAEYACoTODMxNDM5ODkyODYxNjIyOTYxNTIaNDllYTM0YmY5OGYxMDhhNTpjb206ZW46VVM&usg=AFQjCNGGbHQo_zwb6u5IM06OvDMNYequVg” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

Bachtrack – Baroque Inquisition: Apollo’s Fire

August 12, 2014: As part of Baroque Month, Bachtrack has been quizzing leading Baroque ensembles around the globe. Read the interview with Jeannette Sorrell, founder and Artistic Director of Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra. The interview …
[button link=”http://us.bachtrack.com/article-interview-apollos-fire-baroque-month” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

AF Wins 5 Rave Reviews in its 3rd European Tour!

This May, Apollo’s Fire won the hearts of European audiences and the press, as the ensemble’s 3rd European tour took the musicians to London, Birmingham and Austria. THE TELEGRAPH proclaimed “an evening of superlative music-making” …
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/af-wins-5-rave-reviews-3rd-european-tour/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

BBC Music Magazine picks Apollo’s Fire & Sandrine Piau as one of 20 Unmissable Events – May 2014

Love is in the air as leading American period instrument ensemble Apollo’s Fire embarks on a three-date European tour in the company of French soprano Sandrine Piau. Impassioned excerpts from Handel’s Alcina, Giulio Cesare and …
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/bbcMag_apr2014_liveChoice.pdf” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

BBC Music Magazine lists AF’s Praetorius Christmas Vespers as a Top 20 Live Event for Christmas in North America

Apollo’s Fire can always be counted on for fresh and unusual programming as this performance of Michael Praetorius’s Christmas Vespers should demonstrate. Jeannette Sorrell leads the Cleveland-based period ensemble in this virtuosic and sophisticated intermingling …
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/bbcMag_dec2013_top20.pdf” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

Plain Dealer feature: Apollo’s Fire looks ahead to bright future in Cleveland and beyond

Big things are happening at Apollo’s Fire, and to witness them, all you need to do is visit your nearest concert venue. Even as Cleveland’s Baroque orchestra responds to growing demand in Europe and the …
[button link=”http://www.cleveland.com/musicdance/index.ssf/2013/10/apollos_fire_looks_ahead_to_br.html” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

AF Signs on with Columbia Artists Management (CAMI)

In response to increased demand and interest in AF around the country, Columbia Artists Management, Inc. (CAMI) has signed the ensemble for exclusive management of AF’s touring in North and South America, beginning in Dec. 2014. AF will be managed by CAMI’s Senior Vice President, Doug Sheldon, who also manages the New York Philharmonic, violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, and conductor Valery Gergiev.
[button link=”http://www.cleveland.com/musicdance/index.ssf/2013/07/apollos_fire_to_send_sparks_fl.html” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

Early Music America Magazine features AF

“The impressive growth in the schedule of Apollo’s Fire has come from taking the group on the road. Apollo’s Fire and the Toronto-based ensemble Tafelmusik are currently the North American early music orchestras with the most regular U.S. touring activity… ‘Getting to play on some of the great stages of the world – as an ensemble of 13 or 15, not as an anonymous member of a large symphony orchestra – is a rare and special honor,’ said Sorrell. ‘It is a chance to create something magical for people.'”
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/af_emaFall_2013.pdf” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

Minnesota Public Radio’s “Performance Today” Feature

Minnesota Public Radio’s Fred Childs hosts this fascinating radio interview, in which Jeannette and AF’s principal players share their thoughts on AF’s unique performance style. Recorded in October 2012 on the eve of AF’s sold-out debut in St Paul, MN at the venerable Schubert Club.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/minnesota-public-radios-performance-today-feature/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

AF’s “Sacrum Mysterium” Named One of BBC Magazine’s Top 20 Holiday Concerts in America

“Cleveland Baroque orchestra Apollo’s Fire joins forces with La Nef, a Montreal-based ensemble, for a programme of ancient Celtic music rooted both in church and countryside. The concert includes excerpts from a 13th-century service surrounded by hymns, carols and folk tunes. Expect a mix of bagpipes, fiddles, flutes and voices, which should build to a rambunctious, rollicking finale.”
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/BBC-Music-Mag-Dec-2012-AF-recommendation.pdf” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

The Plain Dealer Features Jeannette Sorrell

“Since the start of Apollo’s Fire, the founder has proved to be virtuoso organizer, inventive programmer – her crossover concerts of folk music have become audience favorites – and vibrant interpreter of music from before, …
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/the-plain-dealer-features-jeannette-sorrell/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

ClevelandClassical.com Ponders the Secrets to AF’s Success

“In covering an Apollo’s Fire concert it is less incumbent upon the reviewer to say that Apollo’s Fire was good than it is to discuss why they were good, and why they are consistently good. …
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/clevelandclassical-com-ponders-the-secrets-to-afs-success/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

March 2012 – The Plain Dealer

Bringing the Magic of Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’ to Audiences of All Ages
[button link=”http://www.cleveland.com/musicdance/index.ssf/2012/03/bringing_flutes_magic_to_audie.html” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

November 2011 – Apollos Fire 2011 International Tour

Sold-Out Concerts and Standing Ovations Across the U.S. and Europe! Collaboraion with Philippe Jaroussky, countertenor
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/AF2011TourPrint.pdf” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

October 2011 – Duke University’s blog

Jeannette Sorrell on Affekt, Apollo’s Fire & Philippe Jaroussky. Easily the most highly regarded baroque orchestra in the United States…
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/AF-Jaroussky-Duke-2011.pdf” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

Summer 2011 – LISTEN Magazine

High Folk Art: A period-instrument ensemble embraces Americana. Apollo’s Fire approaches folk music with a period-informed twist exploring the close relationship between folk and Baroque…
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/af_listen_sum2011_feature.pdf” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

May 2011 – GRAMOPHONE Magazine (UK)

Gramophone Magazine discusses the unique journey of Apollo’s Fire, as the ensemble prepares for its second international tour and a new crossover CD release. Music Director Jeannette Sorrell and her merry band are drawing unusually large crowds from London to Santa Fe, as they joyfully break down the barriers between the formal concert hall and the early music of the taverns and countryside.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/gramophone0511.pdf” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

March 2, 2011- THE PLAIN DEALER

Veronika Skuplik is delighted to go to lengths great and otherwise on behalf of early music. The Baroque violinist lives in Oldenburg, in the north of Germany near Bremen, but travels often to France, the Netherlands and beyond to pursue her muse with major Baroque ensembles.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/march-2-2011-the-plain-dealer/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

December 2010 – BBC Music Magazine

Fire starters – Cleveland’s early music ensemble Apollo’s Fire — led by harpsichor player Jeannette Sorrell — is poised to set Europe alight, as Andrew Stewart discovers.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/af_bbc_dec2010_feature.pdf” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

November 14, 2010 – THE PLAIN DEALER

Jeannette Sorrell and Sophie Daneman have been e-mailing and phoning one another for more than a year. But until the other day, they’d never met in person, which hasn’t been an impediment to their relationship.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/november-14-2010-the-plain-dealer/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

November 2010 – CLASSICAL MUSIC MAGAZINE

Fire Storm – Almost 20 years ago, when Roger Wright ran the Cleveland Orchestra, he put in a call to a young conductor. It was the start of [a] story that led to one of the brightest lights of period instrument playing in the United States. Now Apollo’s Fire is heading our way. Andrew Stewart talks to director Jeannette Sorrell.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/af_classicalmusic_nov2010_feature.pdf” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

October 6, 2010 – THE PLAIN DEALER

Apollo’s Fire celebrates the 400th anniversary of Monteverdi’s “Vespers of 1610” by Donald Rosenberg British tenor Richard Edgar-Wilson rehearses Monteverdi’s “Vespers of 1610” with Apollo’s Fire and music director Jeannette Sorrell, left, for performances this …
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/october-6-2010-the-plain-dealer/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

May 2010 – APOLLO’S / WVIZ FIRE PRESS RELEASE

WVIZ-PBS Ideastream® and Apollo’s Fire produce “DISCOVERING VIVALDI” Hour-long broadcast premières on Sunday, May 30 at 7 p.m. on WVIZ/PBS
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/media/pbs-tv-special/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

March 13, 2010 – THE PLAIN DEALER

Apollo’s Fire, the Cleveland Baroque Orchestra, will make its European debut in November in Spain, the Netherlands and England. The five-concert trip will be part of the orchestra’s 19th season.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/march-13-2010-the-plain-dealer/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

March 12, 2010 – APOLLO’S FIRE PRESS RELEASE

Apollo’s Fire Makes European Tour Début – November 2010 tour includes: Spain, Netherlands & London, UK
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/031210_euro.pdf” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

March 7, 2010- THE PLAIN DEALER

Playing Mozart piano concertos has never been anything but a thrill for Sergei Babayan. The admired Armenian-born pianist, an award-winning faculty member at the Cleveland Institute of Music, considers these works to be among the most transcendent in the classical repertoire.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/march-7-2010-the-plain-dealer/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

March 2, 2010 – HEIGHTS OBSERVER

Last winter, Jeannette Sorrell, founder and director of Apollo’s Fire, the Cleveland Baroque Orchestra, drove down the hill from her Cleveland Heights home to conduct an all-Mozart concert at the Cleveland Institute of Music. The soloist that evening, along with the student orchestra, was acclaimed pianist and faculty member Sergei Babayan.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/march-2-2010-heights-observer/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

December 9, 2009 – THE PLAIN DEALER

Peter Simon was four-foot-two and nine years old when he first applied his pure boy soprano to the carol “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice!” in 2005 with Apollo’s Fire, the Cleveland Baroque Orchestra.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/december-9-2009-the-plain-dealer/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

December 7, 2009 – CLEVELANDCLASSICAL.COM

If you have ever attended an Apollo’s Fire concert, chances are you have heard the beautiful voices of the Apollo’s Fire Musettes. There will be 15 Musettes performing on the upcoming bi-Annual presentations of the Michael Praetorius Christmas Vespers.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/december-7-2009-clevelandclassical-com/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

December 2, 2009 – SCENE MAGAZINE

Martin Luther, founder of the Protestant church, had a lot of interesting things to say about music. During a recent conversation about Apollo’s Fire’s upcoming program, Praetorius Christmas Vespers, music director Jeannette Sorrell recalled that the nailer of the 95 Theses once said, “Music is a precious gift of God.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/december-2-2009-scene-magazine/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

November 6, 2009 – PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Jeannette Sorrell took her time developing her ideas for a “Mediterranean Nights” concert program. It’s not the sort of concert she usually presents. Sorrell is founding artistic director of Apollo’s Fire, the Cleveland-based period-instruments orchestra that most often performs masterpieces from the classical and romantic eras.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/november-6-2009-pittsburgh-tribune-review/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

January 29, 2009 – SCENE MAGAZINE

It’s about time. That’s what we have to say about Apollo’s Fire appearing at long last – after 16 years of performing in Northeast Ohio churches – at a church recycled into an art gallery, Josaphat Arts Hall (1433 E. 33rd St.). Jeannette Sorrell, with soloists Meredith Hall and Sumner Thompson and the Apollo’s Singers Chorus, will use the former church, which houses Convivium 33 Gallery, for its production of Henry Purcell’s baroque opera masterpiece, Dido and Aeneas.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/january-29-2009-scene-magazine/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

January 27, 2009 – THE PLAIN DEALER

A handful of the singers are the same. Otherwise, the production of Henry Purcell’s opera “Dido and Aeneas” that Apollo’s Fire will present this weekend bears no resemblance to the one music director Jeannette Sorrell and colleagues offered in 1998 at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
[button link=”http://apollosfire.org/january-27-2009-the-plain-dealer/” bg_color=”#74558b” window=”yes”]Read More[/button]

“The U.S.A.’s hottest baroque band.” –CLASSICAL MUSIC MAGAZINE (UK)

Share to...